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This invention relates to hair dressing, specifically, to combs which are used for dressing curly hair to form ringlets which hang free of the scalp. Hair must be combed to be properly groomed. However, traditional, straight-toothed combs pull hair into a straight line that removes curl and separates curly or curled hair into such small segments of strands that natural or natural-looking curls are destroyed. This invention combs hair into curls by use of curved or angular teeth that are set perpendicularly to a handle. Additional optional features include auxiliary teeth for adding strands to the original lock being combed if the user so desires, and an optional extension of a smoothing pin that is attached parallel to the handle and smoothes hair across the curved teeth.
The prior art in this field includes combs with straight teeth that are used to groom hair. Some of these include a single curved tooth for separating segments of hair in preparation for other dressing activities. Some include a pin, finger or other extension for smoothing hair over the straight teeth for distributing coloring agents evenly. These combs are not for curling hair, and effectively straighten hair by pulling curls straight. There are combs for securing hair to the head in a bun or twist that have curved teeth for securing locks to the scalp, but not for curling or combing hair. There are hair twisting devices that implement straight-toothed combs or clamping devices to wrap strands of hair around one another, preventing locks of hair from hanging free of the scalp and of one another. These are typically motorized, or include a heating element. Examples of combs using straight teeth can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,333,326; 3,386,453; 3,529,609; 4,026,307; 5,091,630 and 5,240,017. Examples of combs using a single curved tooth can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,616,435 and 3,042,048. Examples of combs using a finger, pin or smoothing extension can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,005,187; 2,288,156; 3,368,569; 4,108,186 and 5,765,572. Examples of combs for securing hair to the head can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,299,770; 2,446,781; 3,292,641; 4,522,215; 5,249,589 and 5,273,058. Examples of combs for twisting, teasing and rotating can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,750,680; 3,863,652; 3,892,246; 4,824,036; 5,119,847; 5,191,907; 5,671,759; 5,725,000; 6,109,275 and 5,488,963.
The present invention is a comb that can be produced inexpensively of any sturdy, flexible material such as rubber or plastic, or any other materials conventionally used in combs or hairdressing devices. As such, it does not require a motorized device in order to be used and can be used by almost anyone in a manual application.
It has curved or angular teeth placed perpendicular to a handle that can be drawn through a lock of hair to create a ringlet curl that hangs free from the scalp. It does not twist the hair or require that the hair be secured to the scalp after grooming. It may optionally include a second row of teeth, or individual teeth placed in a helical path around the handle, that incorporate additional strands of hair into the curl as the user desires. It may optionally include an extension that smoothes the hair over the curved teeth. It does not require a motor or a heating element, although it could be adapted for use with either or both of these as an accessory to a hand-held hairdryer or curling iron.